Grades

The Front Line of Food-Allergy Awareness

Millions of students are affected by food allergies, and teachers can get parents to help by labeling their kids’ food.

Grades

PreK–K,
1–2,
3–5,
6–8

Millions of students are affected by food allergies, and teachers can get parents to help by labeling their kids’ food.

Teachers are on the front line of food-allergy awareness. You are asked to stay abreast of school policies and to educate yourself on CDC and state guidelines. You know the importance of keeping hands and surfaces clean, eliminating possible food allergens from your classroom, and having access to lifesaving medicine. Now, more and more teachers like you are helping to spread awareness among parents, too. Parents whose children do not suffer from food allergies may not be aware of the facts. Food allergies can cause a severe and potentially deadly reaction in those affected. Of the one-third of U.S. schools that restrict the type of food that can be brought in, 97% prohibit peanuts.

Sharing information with parents about foods that are not allowed in your school is critical. But in addition, you can also ask families to help by labeling “safe” food from home. When schools and communities work together, all children can be safer.

Classroom Activity

Refresh students’ memories about the different food groups. If someone has an allergy, what other foods could he or she eat to get the protein and vitamins that are commonly found in that food?

Get Your WOWBUTTER

100% peanut free, tree nut free, gluten free, dairy free, and egg free… WOWBUTTER meets the needs of your allergic and nonallergic students. Every jar of this peanut free spread includes multiple “Made with WOWBUTTER” stickers for identifying it as peanut free in school lunches.